Vance Creek Bridge, Mason Co., Washington, Second Tallest Railway Bridge
Vance Creek Bridge, one of the tallest bridges in the US at 347 feet tall and 800 feet long, opened in 1929 for train passage. It crossed a river through a dense forest with Mount Ranier in the background. Decommissioned in 1950, it faded into the realm of nearly forgotten local landmarks. But its picturesque setting became a popular spot for social media photographers. The photographs became more and more daring. People sat along the ends of the bridge over the 300-foot drop. Graffiti and vandalism, even arson, became more problematic. Out of concern for public safety and problems with visitor behavior, the bridge was closed off and the wood removed from the tracks. While the ties have been removed, the bridge still stands with no current plans to demolish it, but it is closed off to the public by the current landowners, Green Diamond Resource Company.